different boat question

[jwclbi]

I may have asked before, but I have a mid 60's 13' whaler with a 1972 50 hp Johnson. Anyone have an idea on the size of the prop, mine of coarse was stolen!! Any thoughts would be great, thank you.

[BigLew]

One half of the question is 2 x the distance between the center of the shaft and plate just above the outer reach of the prop minus 1/2". My guess is about 9-10 inches, maybe a hair more. The pitch will probably be a bit above the diameter number; somewhere around 12-13 +/-. You could use this as a starting point or ask a dealer what he'd recommend.

[McGillicuddy]

A friend has an old BW sled with an old 40hp and that runs a 12 x 15 or so. You might be able to go 17 pitch with a 50hp.

That little sled will be dangerous. Probably hit 45+ if it doesn't flip.

Check out http://continuouswave.com/cgi-bin/Ul...i?action=intro for spirited BW discussion.

Good luck.

[Fr. Frank]

50 hp exceeds the max USCG horsepower rating for a 13 whaler. But I would guess a 13.25"x17" or a 13"x19"

I agree that the top speed will provide the driver with a "Divine Wind" . Divine Wind in Japanese is pronounced kami kaze.

[doodlebug]

I spent my early teen years on the Anclote river in a 13 whaler with a 55 evenrude, great holeshot but no speed demon and real stable the 13 whaler has a heavy hook in the bottom, the faster you try to go the harder the bow pulls down, we would run on the top tilt pin hole hopping
around until you hammered it and down would come the bow.

[jwclbi]

Thanks for numbers guys, hopefully I get something and get it going. Was wonder how fast that thing will be but the engine is a 1972 (50 aniv. model!) so im thinking its probably not 50 hp at the prop. And being it rated for 40hp a new 40 hp might be fater than mine. Le me know what you think. Thanks again

[tlmyers66]

Like you I spent my teen years in a 13 ft BW but with a 50 Merc on it terrorizing the Indian Rocks intercoastal area. Lightning fast and very dangerous (I know that now) I took that boat places no adult would ever go but it always came home.

[uncleboo]

While we're reminiscing, I had a 1962 13' Barracuda with a 60 Johnson. VERY scary. The fastest I ever had it was 63 mph and still had throttle left.

[Fr. Frank]

I have made 5 or 6 crossings of the Gulf Stream from Lake Worth Inlet to West End, Grand Bahama in a 13' Boston Whaler, with a 35 Johnson on the back. Never as the sole boat, always traveled in company, but it would carry two guys, 4 SCUBA tanks and gear, and a cooler full of eats and drinks with no problem, running 20-25 mph all the way across. The trick is to leave right at first light in the summer while the ocean is glassy, and come back the next morning.

I took the SeaCraft Seafari over the same way many times, but with it I could leave mid-day and not worry about the afternoon wind chop from the seabreeze.

[jwclbi]

Well my neighbor gave me a 13 x 19 that I thought was too much prop so I called our local prop shop. And he said given the light weight of the whaler and a 50 hp I should be more than fine with that prop. Being that is what he does for a living I will give it a shot, doesnt mean it will work but we will see. As far a "hook" in the hull i dont see it after spending a couple hours sanding and painting and i had a 1978 with no "hook" either. let me know what you think. Thanks